This week in Art/Culture/Entertainment
By John Swartz
Jan. 17, 2019
For at least 5 years The Mudmen have been playing The Orillia Opera House in January. For one reason or another I have not had the opportunity to see them, but I will Saturday night.
They’ve been on my list for a few reasons. The band leaders, Robbie and Sandy Campbell, are from Alvinston. If anyone else here knows where that is, you are probably from the area I grew up in. Alvinston is suburban Petrolia, which in turn is suburban Sarnia (shh, don’t tell them I said that, I don’t want to start a pub fight). It’s the same as Gamebridge is to Brechin and Brechin is to Orillia. So my interest in seeing them is about the same as it would be for seeing Max Webster back in the day.
The brothers play bagpipes and built the sound of the band around that. Yes, others have used bagpipes for a tune or two, but not a whole set list. It’s unusual, maybe, to anyone who is not a Scotsman or Canadian (make that Cape Bretoner), so finding enjoyment in a mashup of rock and agony bags might be difficult for some, but as Canadians, we’ve taken to it.
The brothers were asked to perform on the new Hockey Night In Canada theme song, a testament of how used to the sound we are. The band had some other notable inclusions with songs used by the Black Donnelly’s, the WWE, Bob and Doug MacKenzie, Xbox and Playstation games, and Don Cherry picked up several for his videos.
I’ve listened to many of their tunes on Youtbube and its good Saturday night fare if you are in a bar, or in a crowd of people who just want to have some fun.
The brothers used to be bricklayers, hence the band name. After 20 years performing they have a sizable audience, which is probably why several appearances have happened here. You can tickets at the box office, 705-326-8011.
Sir John A. Macdonald Dinner
The Orillia Museum of Art & History’s annual Sir John A. Macdonald dinner last Saturday at Hawk Ridge Golf Club was successful in terms of how many people went. It sold out. Donald Smith was the keynote speaker. He’s professor emeritus at the University of Calgary and has made investigating and documenting the role of indigenous people in Canada’s history his life’s work. Consequently his speech was about Macdonald’s role in Indian affairs.
He said Macdonald had several people from various tribes he considered friends, some of whom paid visits to the Macdonald home, and made effort to include First Nations perspective into shaping the country, contrary to popularly held and recent opinion. But, Smith also noted Macdonald was a product of the times and despite efforts for inclusion, making sure negotiations for treaties and participation happened, it was many others who subverted the agreements chiefs entered into on good faith.
One particular part of the history took place in Orillia. Chiefs representing several communities met at The Narrows, coming to agreement among themselves to support the residential school system. Smith said their notion of what such a system was and would do for their people was vastly different than what happened. That marked the tone of many other examples Smith talked about, the perception verses action on many treaties and agreements with both the federal and provincial governments.
Midway through the speech Smith recognized Phil Jackman, who was sitting at a table in front of the podium, as being the person instrumental in Smith’s first appearance in a newspaper article at the beginning of Smith’s career.
At the museum Jan. 16 is history speaker’s night and Evelyn Ross is in to talk about “Fleeing Nazi Europe” at 7:30 p.m. Storytelling Orillia has “Good for a Laugh,” Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. with Tim Greenwood featured. The Labour of Art textile show and the Legacy Landscapes: Couchiching Conservancy’s 25th Anniversary are still be up.
Also, if you’ve been working on a book with anything to do with Orillia, OMAH is taking submissions for the Mulcahy Publishing Initiative until Jan. 31. Email inspire@orilliamuseum.org with the subject header Mulcahy Initiative for details. And, OMAH’s deadline for application to be on the new Art In Public Places committee they are managing for the City of Orillia – Municipality is 4 p.m. Friday. Email executivedirector@orilliamuseum.org.
AGO Selling A. Y. Jackson Paintings
The Art Gallery of Ontario recently announced they are selling 20 of their 164 A. Y. Jackson paintings to make room for modern works to increase the ‘diversity’ of artists represented.
They have a substantial holding of art by First Nations artists, and I gather the goal is to acquire more work by immigrants or descendants of immigrants. It’s a worthy goal, but sell Jacksons?
I recall a visit to the AGO and standing in the doorway of a gallery lined with perhaps 50 or more Cornelius Krieghoff pieces. Krieghoff was a favourite of Ken Thomson who donated the works. My big picture impression of the room was of an artist who found a formula and abused it. At distance it looked like 50 pieces of the same scene. Granted, each piece on its own is masterful in execution, but I think fewer representative works would make the point. Jackson’s works however, display a range of technique and style.
The AGO could make room by selling off some of the Krieghoff works, they have about 150, but I suspect they wouldn’t command as much money, so the making room argument is secondary. I believe Jackson, a member of The Group of Seven who forever changed what art is in Canada and means to Canadians, would be something to never part with for historical value. Krieghoff doesn’t come with that cache.
It’s possible the Jackson’s won’t disappear from public view (bear in mind a lot of the AGO’s collection is not on display at any moment) because they are being offered to other museums and galleries first. Find me a gallery with cash for that please.
I do like Krieghoff paintings. I just think Jackson’s are more important. It’s difficult to think getting rid of one old white guy’s works in favour of artists of ethnicity isn’t at play here, especially since Krieghoff isn’t Canadian, and only lived a portion of his life in Quebec, but that might be a different storm invitation. If the AGO wants to increase holdings to better represent modern work by all Canadians, as they should, they should find another way.
They Shot A Movie Once
I got a note from Bill Dunlop recently, the I’ll Take Your Dead movie shot here in the Orillia area a year ago, has been picked up for a distribution deal by Shout Studios. It will have limited theatrical run in the U.S. and the deal covers DVD and video on demand distribution. It’s all fine to make a movie; it’s finer to get a distribution deal – that’s why film festivals are important to filmmakers, getting deals.
Bill also said a documentary he was executive producer of, Team Howard, had a successful run on two TSN channels and will be available on Amazon starting Jan. 21. He also had some involvement in another documentary he worked on which will be released in March. I’d tell you the title, but I’d have to use a word you’ve never seen me use in print before – it’s about the sex trade.
No, Bill’s not venturing into porn. He has three other projects nearing completion and one of them you’ll be seeing on PBS.
The Shorts
* Mariposa Arts Theatre’s next movie night is Jan. 16 with it’s What They Had (Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster and Blythe Danner). The next play MAT is doing is The Diary of Anne Frank at the Opera House starting Feb. 7.
* Hibernation Arts is starting Wordsmith Series: Poetry, Sunday at the gallery. The first one has Bruce Meyer, Dave Armishaw, and Jaina Kelly featured. Admission is $10 and there are light refreshments. Hibernation is also having a February group show – What is Love? and invites all artists to submit work. Any medium is acceptable, no bigger than 24×24. Email mollytas@gmail for details.
* The Severn Winterfest is happening at ODAS Park – Orillia & District Agric. Society Jan. 25, 26 and 27. It’s going to look a lot like the Orillia Winter Carnival in many respects (they even have pictures from the waterfront on their website), with some additions like a demolition derby (26th, 1 p.m.) roller skating, and an igloo village. There’s a dance on the 26th with the Rob Watts Band doing the tunes (tickets – $15 – at the ODAS office in advance, $20 at the door) and a polar bear dip on the 27th at 1 p.m. There is a $5 weekend pass. For more information visit severnwinterfest.com
* St. Paul’s Orillia has the Reconciliation Art Project Workshop happening Jan. 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Create your own art amidst the (Re)conciliation Art Project exhibition. Cost is $50, $30 for students. Register at the office (Peter Street entrance) Mondays through Thursdays. St. Paul’s also has a Rabbie Burns concert with The Celts Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. You can get tickets ($27) at the Opera House box office, 705-326-8011. St. Paul’s is also the venue for the Huronia Cultural Campus’s Cottagers and Indians, a play by Drew Hayden Taylor, Feb. 1. Get tickets ($30) at hccpresents.com/tickets or Manticore Books.
* The Orillia Concert Band is having a Trivia Night fundraiser Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at Kelsey’s Restaurant. Admission is $10 per person with teams of 4, or join one. It starts at 7 p.m. Hit the link above to RSVP.
* The Geneva Event Centre has The Old Dance Hall Players in Jan. 25 with “Tongues Stuck to Metal.” Get tickets ($15 advance, $20 at the door) by emailing OldDanceHallPlayers@gmail.com. On Feb. 9 Yuk Yuk’s with featured comics Rob Bebenek with Nigel Grinstead and Bryan Hatt, is in for a show. Get tickets ($25) at yukyuks.com or genevaeventcentre.ca
* The Jubilee Chorale is starting 2019 with a recruiting drive. They rehearse Wednesdays from 7 to 9:15 p.m. at St. David’s Anglican/Lutheran Church. Email mhewgill@gmail.com for more details.
* The Mariposa Folk Festival has the 8th annual Evening of Blues and Gospel concert happening Feb. 9 at St. Paul’s Centre. Lance Anderson has Harrison Kennedy, Michelle White, Jesse Whiteley, Gary Craig and Dennis Pendrith along to play with him. Get tickets ($30) at mariposafolk.com or at the Peter Street Arts District office.
* Orillia has a new art group, Urban Sketchers Orillia. They meet, have coffee, and then do sketches of the environment they are in. Feb. 20 they will meet at 4 p.m. at Mariposa Market.
* Coming up… The The Brownstone Cafe has the Drunk Poets’ Society anniversary Thursday night; the Werewolves Birthday Band (Alex Rabbitson and friends) take over Friday night… the Hog N’ Penny has Jakob Pearce in Friday night … The Orillia Opera House has the Vagina Monologues returning (fundraiser for Green Haven Shelter for Women) Feb. 22; get tickets at the box office or at V-Day Orillia 2019 – The Vagina Monologues… As Is are playing the ANAF Club Jan. 26 at 8 p.m.
(Photo Submitted by The Mudmen)
